Master in Economics and Management of Sustainable Food System at University of Parma
Two-year English-taught LM-77 master's at the University of Parma that joins economics and management with food quality and sustainability, with second-year curricula in sustainable value chains or sustainable quality.
Master
2 years
Parma
English
University of Parma
Economics and Management of Sustainable Food System is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's (class LM-77) taught in English at the University of Parma, linking management with food technology and sustainability. Fees follow family income, up to about €2,000 a year, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
- A bachelor's degree in economics and business management, or an equivalent qualification assessed by the admissions committee.
- A knowledge examination test with questions on marketing, microeconomics and food science.
- English at B2: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 69, Cambridge FCE or CAE, or Trinity; native speakers and holders of an English-medium degree letter are exempt.
- At least one reference is appreciated but not mandatory.
- Original documents and a declaration of value or CIMEA statement at enrolment in Parma.
About the programme
Economics and Management of Sustainable Food System is a two-year laurea magistrale in class LM-77 (economics and management) worth 120 ECTS, offered by the Department of Economics and Management of the University of Parma and taught entirely in English. It was designed to bring business and economics together with food technology, for companies and for society.
The course aims to prepare students to manage food production, encourage conscious consumption and support local development that is sustainable environmentally, socially and economically. It draws on Parma's specialisation in the agri-food sector and the food businesses around the city. It suits economics and business graduates with an interest in food.
What you will study
The first year is common to all students; in the second year you choose the Sustainable Value Chain or the Sustainable Quality curriculum. Units in the 2026/27 plan include:
- Management and sustainability accounting (8 ECTS)
- Food marketing (10 ECTS)
- European and global food law (6 ECTS) and environmental economics and policy (6 ECTS)
- Economic history of Europe and European food (6 ECTS) and economic statistics (8 ECTS)
- International financial management (8 ECTS)
- Analysis of sustainability dimensions: food policy, and data management for sustainability
- Sustainable Value Chain curriculum: economics of value chains, food quality schemes, food quality and safety, sensory analysis
- Sustainable Quality curriculum: geographical indications, agricultural markets, nutrition and applied dietetics, agroecology and nutraceuticals
How the programme is taught
Alongside the core and curriculum units there are 9 credits of electives, a communication skills unit and 20 credits for the internship and final dissertation together. Attendance is not compulsory. Students on English-taught degrees at Parma also pass an Italian language assessment before graduating.
Career paths
The degree answers the need for managers with interdisciplinary skills in food companies, especially small and medium enterprises and cooperatives, which play a central role in the sustainability of their territories. Graduates can work in:
- Companies in short and long food value chains that compete on product quality and sustainable business models
- Food marketing, quality and sustainability management
- National and European institutions that manage food valorisation and pursue food policy goals for developed and developing countries
Fees and scholarships
Parma's fee rules for 2026/27 start with €156 at enrolment. A personalised contribution follows, from zero up to about €2,000 a year, depending on your family's economic situation, merit and years enrolled. International students with income abroad apply to ER.GO for the reduction and can also enter its regional scholarship call. This master's can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
This course checks your background with a knowledge examination test on marketing, microeconomics and food science. In 2026/27, final-year undergraduates could sit it before graduating, by 31 March 2026. A reference letter is appreciated but optional.
Applications from non-EU students needing a visa go through apply.unipr.it, with a €30 one-time fee covering up to three requests. The 2026/27 window ran from 15 January to 6 April 2026. After acceptance come pre-enrolment, Universitaly and a type D visa, then enrolment in Parma with a declaration of value or CIMEA statement.
How ApplyAZ helps
If this programme fits your goals, ApplyAZ can include it in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose, submit your applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship application and prepare your visa file, with a named person on each stage. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
Questions and answers
Is Economics and Management of Sustainable Food System taught in English?
Yes. The whole course is in English. You need B2 English, for example IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 69, or Cambridge FCE or CAE, unless you are a native speaker or hold an English-medium degree.
Is there an entrance test?
Yes. A knowledge examination test checks your basics in marketing, microeconomics and food science. In 2026/27, students still finishing their bachelor's could take it before graduating, by 31 March 2026.
Which bachelor's degrees are accepted?
A bachelor's in economics and business management, or an equivalent degree that the admissions committee accepts after reviewing your file.
What are the two curricula?
In the second year you choose Sustainable Value Chain, with units on value chains and food quality schemes, or Sustainable Quality, with geographical indications, nutrition, agroecology and nutraceuticals.
When can I apply for 2027/28?
The 2027/28 call is not published yet. For 2026/27, non-EU applicants applied on apply.unipr.it from 15 January to 6 April 2026, paying a €30 one-time fee.
How much does it cost?
For 2026/27 you paid €156 at enrolment and a contribution from zero to about €2,000 a year based on family finances. Eligible students can apply for an ER.GO regional scholarship.
Similar programmes
More programmes in this city
They began right where you are
